Deciphering Me
by pianoem
Summary: Neighbours
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** Sophie (chocolatetree) and I do not own Grey's Anatomy. Seriously, would we be here if we did? Seriously?

**A/N:** Fic written by me and Sophie a.k.a chocolatetree.

**Chapter One**

"Thanks, just move those up there." Meredith Grey said to the movers as she stood in front of her new/old house.

She moved to Seattle to start her internship. Seattle Grace had the best programs around and when she got accepted she was over the moon. All feelings about her mother were momentarily forgotten until she stepped into her old house once again and all repressed feelings came rushing back. It was home, but it never felt like home. Her mother was never there and of course if her mother wasn't there why would she be at home. Meredith was usually out partying, getting drunk, hanging out with the wrong crowd, generally up to no good. Until she buckled down when she decided to be a doctor. Her mother, the infamous Ellis Grey, tried to talk her out of it. Said she didn't have what it takes and from then on; Meredith wanted to prove her wrong.

Her mother had barely noticed and then she got sick. Meredith didn't want to wish this illness on anyone. It was almost a burden to her and she felt guilty for even thinking that. Ellis could not even remember her name, or who she was. Every visit she made, was the same story; "it's me Mum, Meredith". The advanced Alzheimer's was now getting the better of her, and some days it was just too hard, for the both of them.

Meredith's life always consisted of waiting. Life was always a waiting game. Waiting for her mum to come home; waiting to see if she had been accepted into Dartmouth; waiting to see if she had gained a place at Seattle Grace. Now, she just couldn't wait to start at Seattle Grace, to not be pottering around her old house haunted with all the bad memories she would rather forget.

The movers had now left, leaving many hours of unpacking behind. She sighed deeply and went out to get a breath of fresh air. She walked down her long driveway and realised how much had changed since she had gone. The buildings and houses had been upgraded and refurbished. Their gardens were no longer littered with toys and playgrounds. Time had flown pass, things had changed, and people had changed. Meredith had changed.

Meredith walked along the path amongst the overgrown shrubs. A flicker of colour caught her eye amongst the untidy garden. A rose, so pure and innocent hidden away from the world.

Meredith reached out to touch the delicate, pastel pink rose.

"Ouch", Meredith softly, pricked by a thorn from the seemingly fragile rose.

"You alright?" came a voice from over the fence.

Slowly she stood up, and gazed into a sea of blue. Maybe Seattle wouldn't be so bad after all.

* * *

Happy Reading.  
Review and make mine and Sophie's day please. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"I'm fine" she stuttered, as she was swept into his dreamy looks.

"Here, let me take a look at it," he asked, bringing a complete smile to his lips.

"It's nothing seriously. Just a little scratch" Meredith said blushing slightly

She stared and watched as he made his way into the garden, and was standing beside her.

"Here" his warm breath tickled her ear as he took her petite hand into his hands and pressed a tissue into the small trickle of blood.

"Oh God" The colour from Meredith's face drained as she stepped backwards.

"Are you alright?" The man asked with a concerned look.

"Yep… There's just a spider. On your shoulder" Meredith squealed taking a step backwards.

He let out a hearty chuckle and effortlessly brushed it away.

"All gone" he smiled that smile that made Meredith weak.

"Sorry. I just have a small fear of spiders." Meredith blushed again. _He must think I'm some weakling now._

"No worries, I know many people afraid of spiders. I'll let you in on a secret."

Meredith raised an eyebrow curiously.

"Have you heard of the phobia where you're afraid of peanut butter being stuck to the roof of your mouth?"

Meredith laughed. "Seriously? You?"

"Yes. Seriously."

"Well, that's good to know" Meredith said trying to repress the massive spell of laughter she was about to erupt into.

"I'm Derek Shepherd." he extended his hand out to Meredith.

"Meredith." Meredith accepted his hand and shook it firmly. "Meredith Grey."

"It's nice to meet you Meredith."

"So, you're new around here?" Derek asked after seeing the boxes through the dusty window.

"Just arrived from Boston. Wow, it's been 15 years…." Meredith replied looking pensive.

"15 years since…?"

"Since I've been back in my mother's house. Anyway, what brings you here?" Meredith asked changing the subject abruptly

"Just going to get the mail when I heard a scream next door." Derek grinned cheekily.

"Hey, I resent that. It was not a scream!" Meredith laughed and feigned anger.

"Where's your mother?"

"My mother?"

"Yeah you said it was your mother's house?"

"Oh my mother. She's… she's on holiday." Meredith tried to make it sound convincing but she knew she probably failed. She smiled broadly hoping Derek didn't catch her bluff.

"In Hawaii?"

"How did you know?" Meredith added, playing along.

"I'm psychic." Derek winked. He sensed something was wrong but didn't want to push her considering they just met.

"Well I'll see you around then." Meredith said walking back to her house.

"Thanks for helping with my finger and all." she blushed.

"Your welcome. Nice meeting you Meredith."

"You too." Meredith turned round and flashed a smile before walking back into her house to continue her massive unpacking task.

* * *

**A/N:** So sorry… haven't updated much, kind of I'm lazy… Sorry! I just reread the first part of this chapter and it kind of sucks but I already posted it on greys-backup3 so it's a bit late to change… Oh alright too lazy to change! Sophie and I are working on the next one… As soon as I get off my lazy butt to write more… hehe… 

Just a fluffly introducing them to each other chapter…

(Love the peanut butter on roof of mouth phobia?)

**MeredithGrey**- Aww… thank you… (read our other fics too! I have an inkling you may like Untitled by me… if you haven't read it already…) I think the best writing is when you can actually picture everything and the emotions are vivid. Thanks for reviewing.

**natzbadfairy**- Heya! You read all my fics I know! Not sure about Sophie's! But I love you! Thanks for reading and reviewing!

**Greyaddict- **Smiles are good. We like smiles. Thanks for reviewing!

**tayababy**- Oh it's not a party without Derek!!! (Well it's not a GA fic without Derek!) Thanks for reviewing!


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Luck. Meredith never believed in luck. If luck was on her side, her parents would have never got divorced and her mother would not have neglected her. But honestly she couldn't complain. Apart from the daddy issues, she had a relatively good life.

The loud blast of her alarm woke her up. She groaned and slapped the off button as she turned around. Meredith rolled out of bed and got ready for her first day at Seattle Grace Hospital as a surgical intern.

She stood outside the big building. The building of life and death and when she stepped into the building she was no longer Meredith Grey, but Dr. Meredith Grey. People expected her to be amazing and her patients entrusted her with their lives. That scared Meredith a little. No it scared her a lot, but she was ready for the challenge. She had to be.

* * *

First few hours into her shift and she was already beat. Her fellow "suck ups" were thrown into the deep end by their resident Dr. Bailey a.k.a "The Nazi". Meredith was thankful that she wasn't the only one who had absolutely no clue what was going on. Cristina befriended her in the locker rooms before her shift started. Cristina Yang; the over achiever. Amongst the interns in her year a few stood out and were assigned to the same resident. Alex Karev; the frat boy. Izzie Stevens; the model. And George O'Malley; the Shy One, Bambi. Dr. Bailey insisted she hated every one of the interns.

Luck wasn't on Meredith's side then. But suddenly lady luck seemed to be on her side now. _About time I had some good karma_ she thought as she paced down the hallway to a case that Bailey had assigned her too.

"Anything is better than rectal exams." She mumbled to herself.

"Dr Sloane?" Meredith knocked on the door to his office and smiled politely.

Dr Sloane stood rubbing his chin while staring intensely at the chart he was holding. He mumbled a few words and waved his hand away. Meredith stood smiling while daydreaming about the hunky doctor standing in front of her. She shook her head. _Snap out of it Meredith, he's an attending_.

"Um, Dr. Sloane… you requested an intern…"

"Oh yes." He finally looked up and smiled. _Sexy intern… I could have some fun with that_ he thought.

"Dr. Grey." Meredith extended her hand and smiled professionally.

"Grey… As in Ellis Grey?" he looked at her hand before finally accepting.

"Yeah… She's my mother…" Meredith shrugged all the while keeping the same smile plastered on her face. She tried to break from his grip but he held her hand looking at her seductively. He pulled her a little closer and Meredith seemed to have momentarily forgotten how to move. Finally she realised what she was doing and quickly moved out of his grasp.

Meredith cleared her throat as Mark grinned triumphantly, hoping that was the reaction she would get out of her.

"Dr. Sloane, you needed an intern…." Meredith reminded nervously biting her bottom lip.

Mark smiled and watched her bit her lip watching as the blood almost broke through the thin skin. She was definitely cute.

"I'd like you to get some medical history and prep Mrs Brodie for surgery." Mark handed Meredith a chart.

"She's having a breast augmentation. I'd like you to scrub in." Mark smiled and walked past Meredith out the door.

"Seriously?" Meredith followed Mark surprised she was scrubbing in on a surgery on her first shift as an intern.

"Well if you don't want it…" Mark started.

"No, no… I want it. Thank you Dr. Sloane." Meredith cut in smiling broadly at Mark.

"Good. Room 2234." He said walking off as Meredith stood slightly dumbfounded.

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry about the lack of updates and about how short they are. On the fanfic backup thingy people want updates and short updates aren't that uncommon there. They don't look so short on there but they do here. The lack of updates is mostly my fault. I'm too lazy to write anything when Sophie writes stuff. Sorry!

Well hope you like it anyways. MerDer fan's have faith. HAVE FAITH

**tayababy**- Yes they are indeed living next door to each other. Thanks for reviewing.

**mrs. derek mcdreamy**- Sorry about the lack of updates, Thanks for reviewing.

**hilikus**- It's a cute phobia. Really weird which is why it was chosen. Thanks for reviewing.

**MeredithGrey**- Yeah but you can't say you know many people that has that phobia, and it does exist! Thanks for reviewing.

**McLoving Grey's**- Sorry about not updating often. Thanks for reading and enjoying the fic however. Thanks for reviewing.

Happy reading.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Meredith was on a surgery high. She had assisted on a surgery on her first shift as an intern. Life was good.

She smiled holding the chart close to her chest whilst swaying gently as she walked down the corridor.

"Guess what." Meredith flung herself against the nurses' station where Cristina was sorting out lab work.

"You're a lesbian." Cristina mumbled not paying attention at all to Meredith.

"No. I just scrubbed in on a breast augmentation…" Meredith proudly replied.

"Get out. You scrubbed in on a surgery on your first day." Cristina turned wide-eyed shocked at Meredith. "Some people just have it made for them." she muttered under her breath.

"What?" Meredith asked not hearing what Cristina had said.

"Nothing." Cristina smiled sweetly.

"Okay…"

"I'm sorry. I get cranky when I'm tired, hungry, horny, bored…" Cristina mumbled.

"When do we actually get to be doctors around this place? It's like we do the dirty work and they get the cool surgeries. When do we get to learn how to be the surgeons?"

"Drink's after work?" Meredith asked cocking an eyebrow at the bitter Cristina Yang.

"Definitely." She muttered walking off to deliver the labs. "Joe's" She yelled after her.

"So am I invited?" said vaguely familiar, husky voice.

Meredith turned around and was faced by her neighbour. Derek Shepherd.

"Derek. You work here?" Meredith asked a little surprised.

"I do, I see you do too…" Derek replied undressing her with his eyes.

"Yeah… first day… "Meredith smiled friendlily and they both moved so they were leaning with their backs against the nurses' station.

"How's it going for you?" Derek asked putting his hands in his lab coat pockets while flashing a dreamy smile at Meredith.

"I scrubbed in on a surgery today. That was pretty awesome. Other than that well… it's…" She shrugged scrunching up her face a little.

"Exactly how I felt on my first day." Derek chuckled.

"What department are you in?" Meredith asked tucking a loose lock of hair behind her ear.

"I'm in…" Derek began speaking when he saw a familiar shape walk towards him.

"Dr. Sloan. Hello." Derek grinned with gritted teeth.

Meredith looked on suspiciously, glancing between the two. There was obvious tension between the two.

"Derek. How are you?" Mark asked, making what seemed like a mammoth effort to be nice.

"It's Dr. Shepherd and I am fine."

They stood staring each other not one of them moving an inch. It looked as if they had instigated a war purely between their eyes and neither was flinching.

"Um… Okay… I'm going to go check on the patient now Dr. Sloan…" Meredith felt uncomfortable and nervously shuffled her feet.

"Dr. Sloan?" She asked after neither one of them had moved.

Mark averted his glance to Meredith and flashed her a seductive smile.

"Yes. Check on the patient." he agreed.

"I'll see you later Derek. I mean Dr. Shepherd." Meredith smiled and walked briskly down the hallway.

"What are you doing here Mark?" Derek sneered looking at Mark disgustedly.

"There was a time we were best mates Derek. I hope we can get that back." Mark replied sincerely.

"That friendship along with any hope went out the window when you slept with my wife. Why don't you just go back to New York to Addison?" Derek folded his arms over his chest and glared at Mark.

"I was offered an excellent job here. I wanted a change and Addison and I didn't work out…" Mark also folded his arms over his chest.

"Doesn't surprise me." Derek laughed bitterly feeling a pang of sympathy for Mark.

"You can't keep blaming me Derek. We were good friends and you were in the wrong as much as she was. She just came for me for comfort."

"Yeah, you were sure giving her a lot of comfort…" Derek scoffed.

Derek shot Mark another glare before picking up a chart from behind him.

"Stay away from Meredith Grey Mark." Derek commented as he walked away.

"I guess we'll just have to see." Mark said smugly.

* * *

**A/N:** Just something little to tie it over. Haven't been updating much because everyone is sooo busy...

Thanks for reading. Something substantial will be up in the near future. Please review though. Any ideas would be appreciated. :)

Happy reading.


End file.
